Pharmaceutical Executive had a very interesting article on a series of studies conducted for the Pharmaceutical Safety Institute on DTC ads and consumers. The data revealed that despite ads prompting consumers to take action, either by searching online or discussing the product with their doctors, nearly half of respondents find DTC ads uninformative or inaccurate.
As the search marketing manager for several large pharmaceutical brands with largely funded DTC campaigns, I speak with the brand teams regularly about the importance of establishing a comprehensive SEM strategy. An SEM strategy is needed to make sure that not only is the brand ready and highly visible online for those consumers that are prompted by DTC ads to go to the web, BUT also to fill the increasing void as more consumers turn to the web for their healthcare information, because they are becoming less trusting of pharma’s DTC ads. Additionally, it is important to remember that often times, the “language” used within a DTC ad (which can be impacted heavily by trademark or regulatory requirements) can be quite different from how consumers are thinking about or searching for healthcare information online (think “ED vs. impotence“, so you need to be prepared for the unexpected!
